Connecting African Diaspora and West African Historical Archaeologies

Abstract

Historical archaeology is a growing and vibrant field of inquiry in West Africa. Since the 1980s, there has been a steady increase in the number studies related to the Atlantic trade and indigenous–European interaction. As the departure point for Africans entering the diaspora, West Africa should be at the forefront of the African Atlantic archaeology, a concept recently championed by A. Ogundiran and T. Falola. Despite the logistical challenges that often inhibit fieldwork, as well as difficulties in communication between Western and African scholars, significant amounts of work have been carried out in West Africa that can inform diaspora and African Atlantic archaeology. By presenting the current state of West African historical archaeology as it relates to common questions and themes within African diaspora studies, the following review serves as a means of initiating an in-depth engagement and discussion among researchers in all related fields and in every region of the Atlantic basin.